Archaeology Notes

Event ID 701407

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/701407

NS47SE 11 4870 7252

(Centred NS 4870 7252) Ocean Field (NAT)

Roman Pottery found (NAT)

OS 50" map (1970).

The first mention of a 'Roman vase' being found in one of the fields of Auchentoshan occurs in the New Statistical Account (NSA 1845). Stuart (1852) erroneously adds part of a stone bust to the find. The name 'Ocean Field' is first recorded in the Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB 1860), which states that a Mr Wright of Duntocher indicated this field as being well known for its Roman remains, particularly pottery, and that older inhabitants of the village (Duntocher) confirmed this, to the extent that strangers seeking the line of the Antonine Wall were often directed to this field. The ONB entry goes on to seemingly associate Roman finds made about 1778 with this location, but these should refer to the fort bath-house (see NS47SE 6). Macdonald corrects Stuart and his source (Monuments Imperii Romani c.1771) as to the stone bust being found at Auchentoshan (read Auchendavy - NS67SE 12).

The overall significance of Ocean Field is uncertain. The NSA find can only be related by inference and it would seem that by 1860 its relevance was only a memory without substance. The single urn is in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow but no other finds are accountable.

NSA 1845; R Stuart 1852; Name Book 1860; G Macdonald 1934.

NS 4870 7252 An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to the development of Ocean Field, the possible location of the find of a 'Roman vase' (NMRS NS47SE 11). An evaluation comprising the machine-excavation in excess of 3% (608m2) of the proposed development area was undertaken; no archaeological features were revealed. The field comprised two well-defined terraces, the upper of which had been heavily truncated to construct a garage and car showroom. It is probable that the resultant material was then used to level up the lower terrace, which contained up to 1.5m of redeposited soil.

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Murray Cook 2000.